Prey and Predator
by Nothin'Fancy
Summary: Officer Hopps and Officer Wilde were doing well as new partners. And even though predators still had to wear 'tame collars,' their friendship was strong. Until they're put on a case that will not only threaten their relationship, but also the delicate peace between predators and prey. Can they solve the case before it's too late? Or is the pull of nature too strong? NickXJudy
1. In The Beginning

**Hello Readers!**

 **Welcome old and new readers to my Zootopia story! Yay! I am doing this one as a side project while I write LGH, since sometimes I like to write about other characters besides Sonic and crew. I loved Zootopia, and saw an article about how originally predators were going to have collars around their necks to protect the prey. It got my writer wheels turning, so here is the inro to my new story! Hope you guys enjoy it! I will be writing the history of the story in my own way, just a warning XD**

 **Happy Reading!**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 1: In the Beginning**_

For as long as anyone could remember, there has always been an endless cycle of life. The little fish eats seaweed, the larger fish eats the little fish, the strongest fish devours the larger fish, and when the strongest fish dies, it's waste turns into food for the seaweed. So on, and so forth; the world was in a delicate balance. All animals knew their place, all animals accepted their fate. It would have been so forever, if not for the spark of intelligence that lighted in the mammals of the world. Suddenly prey could talk, predator could empathize. And the world was thrown into a terrifying new age.

Of course, at first, neither prey or predator, wanted to relent to the other. Hate and fear running rampant in uneducated minds. Things that were simple were made to be complicated and things that could've been love, turned to evil. After years of exhausting wars, and seemingly endless battles, the leaders of predator and prey, met together, and formed the city of Zootopia to be the capital of their new and advanced world; Zootopia.

All was well for many years, until the deadly massacre of 165. 165 years after the city's creation, a massive attack on prey from predators happened. The bodies piled up, and no one could figure out the cause of the sudden outbreak of violence, when before there'd been nothing to fear. After a few months, the attacks suddenly stopped, but not without leaving their scar. Thousands upon thousands of prey had fallen victim to the claws and teeth of predators. Prey no longer felt safe in the world, and the leaders of the city grew anxious.

Worry for another war, made them come to the agreement that all predators would be issued a collar, which would shock the wearer if signs of 'the hunt' were detected. The law stated that at first sign of fangs and claws, a predator must put on a collar which would force them into submission if need be. The collar would detect the hormones, and beat of a heart to determine if the wearer would attack. If the data received matched the right 'danger' levels, then electricity would shoot into the animal. If a small shock did not calm them, then the collar would use a higher wattage to completely knock the predator out.

Although this decree seemed harsh, it was the best way to ensure all prey would not live in fear. Peace once again returned to the world of Zootopia and once again Zootopia City became a beacon of hope and advancement.

Afterall, all animals were created equal but separate, right?

* * *

It was now year 213, and Judy Hopps was what you would call a teacher's pet, a goody two shoes, even at times, a stick in the mud. But to Judy, this was all because she loved justice. Judy was a firm believer in following rules; if you followed the rules then nothing would go wrong.

Along with her sense of justice, Judy also felt the need to protect those who could not protect themselves from rule breakers. She would come to the rescue and help any and all who were in need. Which was why being a police officer was the best job for her. Or at least that's what she reasoned with her parents.

"Come on, Mom! I just _know_ it's what I'm meant to do!"

"Judy dear," Bonnie Hopps sighed, as she juggled two baby bunnies in her arms, and played with three more using her hind paws.

"You know your father and I support any dream you have. But a police officer… honey, you know there has never been a _bunny_ officer in the history of Zootopia. Not a mention any animal who is smaller than-"

"Mom! I don't care!" Seventeen year old Judy huffed angrily.

She was about to graduate from Bunhill High, meaning she must pick her career and the school she wished to attend afterwards. Of course, that had been the easy part. She'd always known what she wanted to do, even as a small bunny. The _hard_ part was getting her parents on the same page.

"Look, I know it's scary for you and Dad, but it's something I really want to do… it's something I _must_ do."

Bonnie looked at her daughter. The young rabbit's lavender eyes were wide and pleading, her long perfect ears twitched nervously as she waited for her mother's response. Her beautiful daughter, her strong and righteous daughter… oh how Bonnie wished she could just keep Judy at home, helping the farm and helping to raise her siblings. But maybe it would be alright… Judy would have to go through grueling training to be an officer, and Bonnie hoped that she would realize just how ridiculous the whole notion of being police was, once she had a taste of the hardship. And besides, there was no reason to fear a predator attack… they had those collars after all.

"Oh… alright hon, if that's what you really want-"

Judy jumped into the air with an excited squeal. She hopped over to her mother, careful to not step on one of her many siblings, and pulled Bonnie into a choking hug.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you, Ma!"

Bonnie smiled nervously as her precious daughter hopped about in her arms, her endless energy heightened at the acceptance of her dream job. But all the while Bonnie's face remained darkened and concerned, her light purple eyes shining in a slight fear. Her button nose twitched as she spoke quietly in her daughter's ear, the hushed sound dampening the young rabbit's enthusiasm.

"Just… just promise me you'll be safe."

Judy leaned back so she could get a good look at her mother. Her ears lowered slightly, and her eyes softened at the sight of her worried mother.

"I promise Ma." Judy said, with what she thought was a reassuring smile. Bonnie weakly returned the expression, and watched as Judy left with a large hop in her step. As she stared at the back of her beloved little bunny, a tear fell from her eye.

"Please be safe."

* * *

 _Later…_

 _Her hind paws dug into mud, as the rain above poured relentlessly. It was night and the sounds that normally occupied the jungle air were silent. No doubt it's inhabitants were all sleeping. They definitely weren't running for their lives, their minds clouded in fear of death._

 _Her breathing came in short, pained gasps, her tiny lungs desperately searching for any kind of air. A rabbit was fast by nature, but she could only run for so long. A rock, covered in wet earth, poked unseen from the ground, and she fell forward, her ankle twisting in the fall. Her face smashed into the mud, the slimy substance soaking into her delicate grey fur, and seeping into her uniform._

 _How had it come to this? Just where had she gone wrong?_

 _The sound of crunching twigs and the sucking POP! of a foot lifting from mud, became closer and closer. A violent growl, that almost sounded elated reached her dirt filled ears. Panic striked through her heart, and she attempted to get up and run. She had to run. She had to warn them. He was coming, it was all his fault. No one knew. But her ankle buckled under the sudden weight and she gasped at the sharp pain that flew up her petite frame from the damaged joint._

 _With no other option she scrambled, dragging herself underneath a bush, hoping the rain and mud would mask her scent from her hunter. She tried to steady her heart and breathing as she heard him get closer and closer. She shut her eyes, and her whole soul wished this was just a dream… just a dream._

 _No amount of training had prepared her for this. No one had told her of the lung crushing fear that came along with facing death. All her life she'd been sheltered, protected from these monsters._

 _She whimpered, cursing her prey-like instinct to run in fear. Her mind grasped for anything to distract her from the impending doom. But all that came was thoughts of her family. Her siblings and parents. Their faces parading in her memory like some sick show. She heard her mother's voice - heard her saying those words she'd taken too lightly. The promise she could no longer keep._

' _Just promise me you'll be safe.'_

 _The sound was now very close, and suddenly it stopped altogether. Her ears twitched and shook, as she searched desperately for any sound. Anything to help her escape her fate. But all she heard was the steady beat of rain on the leaves above her._

 _She stayed like that for minutes, but it seemed like hours. She almost thought it was safe, almost thanked God that she would live another day, but then she heard it. The laughter that sent chills down her spine. A voice that used to be a familiar and warm, rang out through the dark night. A voice dripping with excitement from the hunt._

" _Where did you go? Don't hide from me."_

 _Soft footfalls were heard to her left, and she shrank back as far away as she could go. She saw his paws as they stepped into her line of vision. The claws were longer and sharper than any monster she'd seen before, even in her worst nightmares. They stepped side to side, his bushy tail whipping back and forth between them. She knew he was searching for any sign, any scent of her._

 _Against her will, her body shook in primal fear, and in promise of a bloody end. Suddenly they stopped, and slowly turned to face her hiding spot. She could almost feel his muzzle curling into a demented grin - his fangs glinting hungrily, in the moonlight - as his chilling voice rang out, almost mockingly._

" _Found you, Carrots."_


	2. Trouble in Utopia

**Hello People!**

 **Here is the second chapter. Just wanted to give thanks to Sunny Lighter for Beta Reading this chap, and helping me with the grammar.**

 **On that Note: I am still looking for people interested in betaing this story. Its cool cuz you get to see the chapter before anyone else, and help me bring it together, It's pretty fun so let me know if you're interested.**

 **Thanks and Enjoy the chapter!**

 **Happy Reading!**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 2: Trouble in Utopia**_

"Carrots! Carrots, slow down!"

Nick Wilde's voice rang out, almost drowning in the crowd of Zootopia City's bustling streets. He panted, and stopped, resting his forepaws on his hind knees, as he tried to catch his breath. The day was late summer and as a result the pavement was emitting strong heat waves, that caused the fox to sweat through his navy polo shirt, black tie and shorts. If he'd known he would be running through the streets like a rabid animal, then he would have worn something cooler.

When his breathing steadied, he lifted his head to look out into the crowd. He could just make out his rabbit partner weaving through throngs of animals, several feet away. He cursed her rabbit DNA, which allowed her to run fast and quickly, changing direction on a dime. Today was not turning out how he'd expected it to. He'd been happy that Judy had invited him along, he enjoyed being in her company, however, if she had told him it would be like this, he would've said no. Why should he spend one of his precious days off, chasing a crazy bunny through the streets of the city?

"Come on you sly fox! Don't act like an out of shape old male!"

Nick looked up, to see her standing in front of him and couldn't help but smile tiredly at Judy's bright, and energetic face. She was practically jumping in the air, the pink dress and denim jacket she wore leaping into the air with her. Her lavender eyes were wide in excitement, and her little pink nose twitched uncontrollably as she waited for him to get up.

"Geez… do you really want to go _that_ badly?" He asked, in a mocking tone, straightening up and stretching his back. Judy rolled her eyes, and grasped his large paw in her tiny palms, pulling him forward.

"It's not so much that I _must_ go. It's that I hate being late. We wouldn't have to rush - you know - if _someone_ hadn't taken their sweet time getting ready!" She huffed, her cheeks puffing out in slight irritation.

Nick grinned, and allowed his friend to pull him along. The rabbit had her cute sides, that was for sure, and Nick found it hard to resist the urge to tease her. Her dress was loose enough that it covered her cloud like tail from view, and her legs twitched with every step, obviously eager to go faster. His grin widening into something of a smirk, Nick slowed his pace, and reveled in triumph as her little body strained to pull him along. He could see irritation coming off her in waves, and his expression turned sinister. Nothing was better than a frustrated bunny. Especially such a cute one at that.

 _Cute… hmmm..._ at the thought, his face slackened and became slightly puzzled. He hadn't realized he thought of her that way. Sure, rabbits as an animal were adorable, but when it came to Judy, it felt… different.

They turned a corner, and finally their destination was in sight. Noticing right away that there was a problem, Nick purged his head of pointless ponderings, and instead focused on the issue on hand. The way was blocked by a sea of animals all shapes and sizes, and neither of them could get a great view of their goal.

"Dammit! This is why I wanted to come earlier! Now we have to wait _forever_!"

Judy released her partner, and stood at the end of the crowd - which now revealed itself to be a line - that stretched down the block and into a music store. The music store was white with little colored scales and notes painted all over its front. Contrary to its adorable exterior, the building was blasting one of the latest pop songs and new releases, which happened to be quite loud and obnoxious in Nick's humble opinion. A large banner was pinned across the top, that read in sparkling pink letters, 'Gazelle Signing Event.'

Nick rolled his eyes, and stuck his paws in his shorts' pockets. He didn't mind a long wait - in fact, the fox had quite the large pool of patience. No, the problem mammal was Judy. The rabbit hated waiting, especially when she felt as though it could've been avoided. Even now, he could see her long right foot beating frantically up and down, as her arms folded in front of her chest. He smirked, as she glared at the large purple hippo, who stood in front of them.

Feeling as though she were being a watched, Judy followed the intuition to see that Nick wore a satisfied expression. When he noticed her staring - appalled - at him, his smirk widened, and his peridot eyes brightened with mischief. Her frown deepened, before her right foot jumped out and kicked him deep in his shin. She turned forward again, a smirk of her own making its way to her face, as pained gasps could be heard from behind her.

 _Serves him right!_ She thought ruthlessly. Her partner was always looking for any reason to get under her fur, even after knowing each other for close to two years. She smiled, thinking fondly of the first case they'd worked together - the case that had made them friends and partners. Although he hadn't been police then - in fact he'd been quite the opposite - he'd been a huge factor in helping shed light on the true enemy of the 'predators gone wild'; Mayor Bellwether.

She glanced back at him again, to see him adjusting his loose tie. As he pulled the fabric, a glint of metal caught her eye, and again she was reminded that he was a predator. The line moved, and Nick gently pushed her forward with a wink. She turned from him, and resumed her glare at the hippo.

 _Does that collar bother him?_

She remembered when she'd asked him, while they were in a stake out, and he'd laughed nervously, while tugging slightly on it.

' _No, not really. I don't even notice it anymore.'_

She doubted that were true. Although the predator's who were police had their collars turned to low frequency during patrols in case they needed to use force; outside of work, she'd seen it shock him multiple times, the thing could be a little sensitive. If he got too angry, or his adrenaline spiked, the collar would turn on, and his green eyes would go wide, while his jaw clenched, as electricity coursed through his body. She knew he tried to hide it as much as possible, but every time it happened, Judy would feel a small strike of pain herself. But it was there to keep her safe… wasn't it?

They were closer to the entrance now, and she felt excitement once again return, and all difficult thoughts left her small head. She hopped up and down, her cotton tail wagging as she grew more and more anxious to get into the store. She'd waited _months_ for this, she'd even marked it on her calender, letting everybody know, that she was going to meet Gazelle.

They were just about to enter the store when a shriek was heard from behind them. Both officers turned around to see chaos unfolding in the line of people behind them; mammals were falling on top of each other in their rush to leave whatever the problem was. They stood there for a moment, before Nick glanced down at his partner with a grin.

"Shall we?"

Judy's cheek puffed; as much as she wanted to say 'no, it's our day off,' she could never turn a blind eye to those in trouble. She sighed, and started forward.

"Let's go."

The two made their way through the crowd, dodging panicking animals to get to the source of the cries for help. Judy made a quick call to the Police department, to notify them of the situation, and ask for back up, as Nick followed close behind. The closer they got to the source, the thicker the crowd became. There was a wall of citizens at the edge of the scene, and neither officer could see past the larger animals. Judy reached them first and attempted to push through, her tiny paw holding her badge out as she yelled.

"ZPD! Make room!"

But the excited animals paid no mind to the little rabbit, and she was shoved aside. Her little bunny bottom hit the pavement, and Nick surged forward. He helped her up, and she looked up at him, her cheeks flushed under her fur. He knew she was embarrassed. Whenever something like this happened - where she wasn't taken seriously - her anger level would be short, and her temper would get the best of her. He gave her a nod, and patted her back, trying to reassure her. She stood there for a moment, before giving him a small nod back. They both understood that he would take over from here. He pulled out his own badge, and yelled at the top of her lungs,

"ZPD! MOVE!"

A giraffe, zebra, and boar who were closest, glanced down, and moved aside to let him through. As they passed, Judy glared at all the animals, and huffed angrily before turning to the spectacle before them. What they saw made their blood run cold.

A deer was crumpled to the floor, as something pulled at her feet. At first glance, they couldn't make out what it was, but then the deer shifted and they saw that a young panther was mauling her leg. The deer was whimpering and trying to shake the cub off, but the more she struggled the tighter and more vicious the cub got. Blood was seeping from the gaping wound and onto the pavement, which soaked it up hungrily, painting the ground in a dark, almost purple, hue. Judy and Nick stood shocked for a moment, confused; why was a panther attacking someone? And why wasn't anyone helping?

Nick looked around, and got his answer. Most of the animals watching were considered prey, and all of them were frozen in a terrified silence. _Great. Their instincts are fighting with their minds, causing them to become confused._

He'd seen this happen on the streets before, animals who were in dangerous or unknown situations tended to freeze up. Their minds, which were intelligent, would tell them to fight or find a way out, whereas the 'prey' instinct would tell them to cower in fear. If they weren't trained in keeping their emotions in balance, it often resulted in them becoming too shocked to do anything.

Judy shook her head and marched forward. Her eyes set in a determined glare, as she made her way cautiously towards the cub. Nick didn't see her move, until she was too far away, and he was startled back to reality. He cursed his delayed reaction; if he moved now, it would most like scare the panther off, and they needed to catch him if possible. There were a lot of questions to be answered. Even though he understood this, his legs still tensed, and his eyes dilated, as he braced himself, prepared to jump in if things got dicey.

As the rabbit approached, she could hear the sounds of teeth on flesh and bone, and a voice in her head began to shriek and scream, telling her to run. She shook herself, and started repeating the ZPD mantra in her head. It was her way to calm her nerves to stay alert and focused during highly tense scenarios. All police were trained in this manner, each choosing their own method. To Judy, the most important thing in life was her title of Police Officer, so she'd chosen the department's mantra.

 _I, Judy Hopps, promise to uphold the law…_

She was now several feet away, her heart beating at a steady rhythm and her mind drowning out all unnecessary information. Her sense of smell became focused and directed at the cub; her hearing became sharper and aimed towards the two animals. The panther had yet to see her, and she continued closer, making sure to keep her movements small and quiet.

… _To protect those who cannot protect themselves..._

She could hear the rush of her own blood in her ear, the slight crunch of bone as the cat's teeth dug deeper into the deer's leg. The tearing of flesh and whimper of fear became the only sound she heard, and her eyes remained focused in her target. Almost there.

... _To serve Zootopia City, her people, and her laws…_

Suddenly the sounds of chewing stopped, and the panther's hackles raised. The cat had detected her. Judy gulped, and paused for a moment before advancing with even gentler actions then before. Two jasper eyes poked out over blood matted fur, their pupils like slits, became dilated, until black almost drowned the irises.

... _To mediate and make peace with all who are wary…_

Slowly the panther lifted it's head from the deer, watching her with wide eyes and bared fangs. Judy did a quick analysis and realized the young predator wasn't wearing a collar. Before she could ponder this further however, the deer fliched. Judy realized that she wanted to flee. Knowing that would either cause the panther to attack the deer again, or flee as well, Judy shifted her attention to the wounded animal. She caught the deer's tearful blue eyes, and slowly shook her head, hoping her message would get across. Thankfully, the deer seemed to catch her meaning, giving a little nod and becoming still again, silent tears falling from her face.

... _And to always be available to uphold these oaths._

She stopped. She was now facing the panther with just the deer separating the distance between them. The crowd around them had grown silent in awe and terror. Some recognized the little rabbit from the 'Wild Predator' incident from two years before, while others were baffled at the sight of a small prey animal facing off with a predator.

The two animals stood, locked in each other's gazes, both waiting for the other to make the first move. Judy watched as the cat's nose twitched, the nostrils flaring in attempt to pick up her scent. Judy, too, focused her nose on the panther. She was picking up not only the scent of a male predator but also fear. She realized it was possible the young cat didn't even know what was happening, and had lashed out at the first animal to cross his path. She slowly lowered to the ground, her open paw stretching out in front of her, an offering of peace, and an invitation for the cub to smell her. The cat growled at first, but when she made no further movement, his eyes softened slightly.

"Shh, I won't hurt you…" Judy breathed, her voice only heard by the cat and Nick, who still stood behind her, ready to jump forward.

The cub glanced from her outstretched paw, to her eyes, and then back again. Several minutes passed, which seemed like hours, but finally the fur on the naked panther cub relaxed, and his pupils started to go back to normal. Judy lowered her ears, and stayed still, as the panther cautiously leaned forward to get closer to her paw. _Perfect… just a little bit more -_

 _SNAP!_

The sudden sound of a camera shutter, startled the cub, and in a flash of movement his claws lashed out, swiping her across the face. The force of the blow knocked her to the ground, and she looked up in wide eyes as the cat flew through the air towards her. She squeezed her eyes shut, prepared for impact, but it never came. She heard the _Thump!_ of two bodies colliding, and when she slit her eyes open, she saw Nick and the predator tossing around on the ground.

Her immediate thought was to help her partner, but a moan from her right caused her head to snap in that direction. The deer was losing blood and energy fast, her eyelids now heavy, with the threat of a faint. Judy knew enough, to know it was bad to pass out while losing blood, so she struggled to her feet and rushed to the deer's side. Once she reached the female, she tore off her jacket and applied it to the wound, making sure to put as much pressure as she could on the leg. She panted, and turned her head to the deer. The female was slowly losing consciousness, and Judy snapped her fingers in front of the animal's face to get her attention.

"I am Officer Judy Hopps with the ZPD. I'm here to keep you safe, but I need you to stay awake. Can you do that for me?"

The deer's eyes focused in and out as she tried to focus on the officer's face, but she managed a small nod. Judy sighed in relief and grabbed one of her hooves, while she continued to apply pressure with her knee.

"That's good. Can you tell me your name?"

As she was speaking, Judy looked up to where she could hear snarls and yelps. Red fur like fire, and black like ash, mingled together, as the two predators went tooth to claw. Nick batted the head of the cub, momentarily dazing it, but it jump out of his grasp, and landed a few feet away. She knew Nick was trying his hardest to subdue the cub without injuring him, but she could tell he was growing tired. The collar was at its full power today, since it was supposed to be their day off, and she flinched when she saw his fur raise around it, as another shock ran through his body.

"D-Daisy…" A quiet soft voice traveled up to Judy's ears. Judy's attention was once again distracted by the victim, and she could only hope that Nick could take care of himself.

"That's a pretty name, Daisy. Were you on your way to met Gazelle?"

Daisy squinted and took a deep breath, her muzzle opening and closing in an effort to moisten her lips. Her body was shaking and growing cold, and Judy became worried that she didn't have much time left. If she died, it would not only spell bad news for the deer, but also the crazed panther. They still didn't know why the young panther had attacked, and it could have completely been against his will - he may not even know what he was doing. It would be terrible for the young predator's life to be ruined after such a short time of living.

"Y-yes… I…"

The deer could barely form words now, and her lids were getting heavier and heavier. Judy almost thought she wouldn't make it, but then she heard sirens in the distance and she breathed a sigh of relief. The paramedics would be here shortly, and then everything would be fine.

"You're going to be fine… you're going to make it."

She squeezed Daisy's hand again, and the deer managed a little smile before her eyes closed. Judy stared at her for a moment, before shifting her weight and feeling the female for a pulse. It was faint but still there, and she leaned back as paramedics arrived at the scene and took over.

Judy got up, and looked around desperately for Nick. She saw him at the other end of the sidewalk, holding the panther up by the skin on the back of his neck. He was panting, and his fire red fur was matted and in disarray. His clothing hadn't survived much, most of it hanging off of him in tatters like a homeless person. She hurried over to him, she could see his normally bright green eyes dulled in pain, but his muzzle weakly formed a grin upon her approach.

"Hey, Carrots, why such the long face? I caught the bugger."

His smile didn't flatter as she slowly walked towards him, nor when she stood underneath him, her little head pointed downwards and her ears trembling. No, Nick was a strong male, a sly fox. He wouldn't weaken at the sight of -

Judy's head lifted, and her lavender eyes shone with water. As the fox stared into those eyes, that reflected his own pain and understood it, his muzzle twitched. His smile wavered, and when her tiny paw reached up - as she stood on tip toes - until her hand reached his neck, his smile disappeared. Her paw touched his collar, which was still warm from all its activity, and her muzzle trembled as she caught sight of burned fur.

"Oh, Nick…"

Her voice was no more than a whisper, and Nick felt a lump form in his throat. Everything around them blended into pastel smudges, the sounds becoming an indistinguishable noise, the lights merging into one abstract piece of art, and all that the injured fox could focus on was her.

The way her eyes pulled him in, the way her tiny paw put pressure on his collar, and the way it seemed like she was feeling his pain along with him. Why was a prey like her, feeling sorry for a predator like him? Sure they were friends, but even friends were cautious. Against all odds, here she was, completely accepting and crying for him, a predator. He gulped, and raised his free paw, wanting to wipe the single tear that had begun to run down her face.

"Carrots…"

"Is everyone alright here?!" A loud voice rang out, shattering the mini world the two partners had been apart of.

"Officer Hopps! What's the situation?"

Officer Fischer, a large polar bear, came bursting into the scene. His white fur was matted in sweat from rushing to the area, and his large black nose twitched with the effort to pick up scents. Nick watched as Judy shook herself, and made her way to Officer Fischer. He stared at the two, Judy was waving her hands around, and Fischer was bent at a 90 degree angle, as he strained to listen to the small bunny.

Movement in his right hand, made Nick glance down to see the panther was wiggling around. Nick held the cub up higher, so that he could look into his eyes. The young thing was no longer so murderous, in fact his yellow eyes looked more frightened than anything, and darted back and forth, as though searching for something. He was completely harmless at the moment, since the wonderful thing about a cat was when you held it by the scruff, it would completely immobilized him.

"Officer Wilde! Come over here!"

Nick's head snapped in the direction of the voice, and saw that Fischer and Judy were both staring at him and the cub. He nodded and headed over. It was a slow and painful process, all of his body ached from the electricity, and he sported multiple flesh wounds from where the bugger had clawed and bit him. With each step, he felt his tired muscles clench and strain painfully, and his injuries stung with sweat.

When he finally made it over to his two co workers, he was ready to collapse in a pile. Officer Fischer had a kennel ready for the panther to prepare the little guy for transport, and when Nick reached them, the polar bear relieved him of his burden. As soon as the pressure from his neck subsided, the cub twisted and snarled, trying desperately to escape the hold of the kennel, but the metal was too thick for the small mammal to break, and Nick watched pitifully as the little cat desperately fought for his freedom.

"Any idea why this little guy went off the deep end?" Officer Fischer asked.

Nick couldn't keep his eyes off the panther, something about the cub felt… wrong. Or out of place. He didn't acknowledge the bear, and continued to stare at their catch with curious eyes. Judy noticed his behavior and cleared her throat, before stepping between her two co workers.

"No idea, sir. But we'll interrogate the cub once he's calmed down."

Fischer stared down at the bunny, and sighed. He really wished that Nick would interject, since his back was already hurting from bending down for so long. His wish was dashed, however, when he glanced in the fox's direction to see him still transfixed by the cub. He rolled his eyes and hoisted the kennel up into the air.

"Well, I better get this little cat back to precinct. I know it's your guy's day off, but the chief is gonna want to see you right away."

Judy nodded, practically jumping at the prospect of a new case to solve. Gazelle was the last thing on her mind now, and all she wanted to do was have a deep and thorough conversation with the suspect.

Nick on the other hand had noticed something odd. The cub had grown still upon being lifted into the air, and while the rabbit and bear talked, Nick shifted his stance to get a better look. The panther was crouched on all fours in the box, and his eyes were wide, pupils just slits. It was odd to see the panther motionless, since this entire time the cat had struggled and fought, and Nick realized the cat was staring at something.

He turned to see if he could pinpoint what had the cat transfixed, but suddenly he was being pulled, quite roughly, away from the scene. He looked down to see two long, grey, bunny ears bouncing up and down in front of him. His paw was being held firmly, and he could just imagine the look of determination on his partners face.

"Carrots, what are you doing?"

"I'm getting you some medical attention, that's what."

"I'm fin-"

"Don't you lie to me Nick Wilde!"

Suddenly she stopped mid walk, and whipped around. Her large purple eyes were worried, and her little muzzle was set in a firm frown. She lift her free hand and poked him in the chest.

"You are not _fine_! You just fought a wild animal with a collar that's at full operational capacity, while being bitten and scratched! You think I didn't notice your pained expressions as you walked over to us earlier?"

Nick was floored. He hadn't expected anyone to get so worked up about his well being, but here was a little rabbit lecturing him and insisting he get attention. He couldn't help but smile, which widened when Judy's own expression darkened at his reaction. She grumbled and dragged him over to an idle ambulance. She pushed him onto a stretcher and walked away to find a doctor.

Once she was out of sight, Nick sighed, and laid back onto the hard bed. It was propped up, allowing him to have good view of the crime scene. He watched as mammals of all shapes and sizes hurried around, animals in uniform taping up the area, bystanders clawing to anyone who'd listen that they were traumatized forever, and medics rushed around to make sure no one else was injured.

He closed his eyes for a moment, his body relaxing into the stiff sheet that covered his stretcher. What he wouldn't give for some beer at the moment. As soon as that thought crossed his mind, Nick felt a chill run up his spine. His emerald eyes snapped open, and his fur raised. Someone, or something, was watching him. _Examining_ him. He could feel their invisible stare running all up and down his body; Nick had never felt so exposed before.

Quickly his head snapped side to side, trying to pinpoint his feeling, but all he saw were bustling and crazed mammals shuffling around. Then he felt it. Like a cold knife, it stabbed him subconsciously to his left. Before looking, Nick realized it was the place the cub had been transfixed on moments before. Slowly, Nick Wilde turned his head, sweat dripped down the back of his neck. This feeling… was it what prey felt as they stated into the eyes of their death?

When he'd finally turned all the way, he found himself glaring at an alleyway across the street. At first he didn't see anything strange, nothing out of place or overly frightening. In fact he almost dismissed the feeling as nerves from the fight, but that's when a glint caught his attention.

He saw them. Two perfect ice blue eyes, staring directly at him. They were cold, colder than any eyes he'd ever seen in his life. They were almost white in color, and they shone with an evil that made Nick's skin crawled. At first he thought he was hallucinating, who would possess such soulless eyes? It must be a dream. But then _it_ happened. Something that would haunt him in his nightmares.

A row of fangs below the orbs curled into a cruel and satisfied _smile._


End file.
